Collecting By Engraver

Traditional customs, designed and engraved by Albert Decaris and issued by Senegal on July 8, 1961.

- Traditional Wrestling
- Boat Racing
- Horse Race
- Traditional Dancing:




"Fake Lion" (Simb) Dance.
The Fake Lion show is a lively street performance where men in lion costumes, painted in red and black, make a dramatic entrance to the beat of tam-tam drums. The crowd greets them with songs and clapping as the lions dance, roar, and chase spectators. Those without tickets are pulled into the circle to dance, poor dancers are mocked or sprayed with water. The spectacle alternates between choreographed moves and playful attacks, keeping the audience fully engaged.

Traditional dances of different tribes in Dahomey, issued by Dahomey (Benin) on August 8, 1964. The 2, 3, and 25 Fr. values were designed and engraved by Claude Haley and the rest by Pierre Béquet.

Rulers of Poland (I)

During years 1986-2000, Poland issued a very long series of engraved stamps, designed by Stefan Malecki (1924-2012), features rulers of Poland based on famous paintings, most of them are by the Polish painter Jan Matejko (1838-1893). The series contains 44 stamps (2 of them reissued overprinted with new values) issued in 15 different sets of 2-4 stamps each. From them I have 22 stamps, years 1993-1998.

Here are the sets issued on March 25, 1993 (first four stamps) and on April 15, 1994:

- Wladyslaw Laskonogi (1161/67 – 1231), engraved by Wanda Zajdel
- Henryk Brodaty (c. 1165/70 – 1238), engraved by Tomasz Zlotkowski
- Konrad I Mazowiecki (ca. 1187/88 - 1247), engraved by Jan Maciej Kopecki
- Boleslaw V Wstydliwy (1226 – 1279), engraved by Wanda Zajdel




- Leszek Czarny (1241 - 1288), engraved by Tomasz Zlotkowski
- Przemysl II (1257 - 1296), engraved by Wanda Zajdel


Jan Matejko (1838-1893)

Rulers of Poland (II)

Here are the sets, four stamps each, issued on February 28, 1995 and on August 29, 1996.

- Vaclav II (1271 – 1305), engraved by Wanda Zajdel
- Wladyslaw I Lokietek (1260/1 – 1333), engraved by Jan Maciej Kopecki
- Kazimierz III Wielki (1310 – 1370), engraved by Jan Maciej Kopecki
- Ludwik Wegierski (1326 – 1382), engraved by Wanda Zajdel




- Jadwiga (1373 or 1374 – 1399), engraved by Wanda Zajdel
- Wladyslaw II Jagiello (c. 1352/1362 – 1434), engraved by Jan Maciej Kopeck
- Wladyslaw III Warnenczyk (1424 – 1444), engraved by Przemyslaw Krajewski
- Kazimierz Jagiellonczyk (1427 – 1492), engraved by Przemyslaw Krajewski

Rulers of Poland (III)

Here are the sets, four stamps each, issued #1501;#1502; September 22, 1997 and March 30, 1998. This is the last part of since I have no more from this series ended in year 2000.

- Jan I Olbracht (1459 – 1501), engraved by Wanda Zajdel.
- Aleksander Jagiellonczyk (1461 – 1506), engraved by Przemyslaw Krajewski.
- Zygmunt I Stary (1467 – 1548), engraved by Wanda Zajdel.
- Zygmunt II August (1520 – 1572), engraved by Wanda Zajdel.




- Henryk Walezy (1551 – 1589), engraved by Wanda Zajdel.
- Anna Jagiellonka (1523 -1596), engraved by Przemyslaw Krajewski.
- Stefan Batory (1533 – 1586), engraved by Jan Maciej Kopecki.
- Zygmunt III Waza (1566 – 1632), engraved by Przemyslaw Krajewski.

Branch of a Horse Chestnut in the different seasons, designed by Pierrette Lambert, engraved by Cécile Guillame or by Michel Monvoisin and issued by Monaco on March 4, 1981.

- Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

Austrian Folklore and Customs (I)

During years 1991-2006, Austria issued a very long series of 35 stamps feature all aspects of Austrian folklore and customs. The stamps are all combined photogravure and engraved by Austrian engravers. From time to time, I will show different stamps of this series.

Different traditional Austrian regional costumes, designed by Maria Schulz, combined engraved by Wolfgang Seidel and photogravure, and issued on March 24, 1995.

- Belt, Gailtal, Carinthia
- Vineyard watchman's costume, Vienna
- Bonnet headwear, Wachau, Lower Austria

Austrian Folklore and Customs (II)

Different traditional Austrian toys and ceramics, designed by Auguste Böcskör, combined engraved by Maria Laurent and photogravure, and issued on January 14, 1994.

- Swinging cradle (1808) Vorarlberg
- Children's Sledge (19th Century) Steiermark
- Bowl with lid, Upper Austria

Austrian Folklore and Customs (III)

Traditional Austrian carnivals and customs, issued on February 9, 1996 and June 21, 1996.

- Carnival of Schemenlaufen in Imst, Tyrol - designed by Elmar Peintner, combined engraved by Alfred Nefe and photogravure,
- "Prangstangen" ("decorated poles"), Lungau, Salzburg. It symbolizing thanksgiving for blessings such as a good harvest or protection from disasters. - designed by Auguste Böcskör, combined engraved by Maria Laurent and photographure.
- Tyrolean gunmen, traditional riflemen's groups that preserve Tyrol's historical militia heritage - desinged and engraved by Böcskör and Laurent

Austrian Folklore and Customs (IV)

Traditional Austrian customs, designed by Maria Schulz, combined engraved by Wolfgang Seidel and photogravure, and issued during 1997.

- Carolling by the three Magi
- Music for brass instruments, Tyrol
- Turmblasen ("tower blowing"), a traditional brass performance from a tower for festive occasions.

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas, designed by Ursula Kühne, engraved by Wolfgang Seidel and issued by Liechtenstein on December 2, 1991.

Virgin Mary - The Virgin Mary is shown indoors reading the Scriptures, a late-medieval symbol of divine wisdom and contemplative piety, rendered in the style of Gothic devotional art.

Madonna and Child - The crowned Madonna holds the Christ Child against a gold background, evoking late-15th-century German Gothic representations of Mary as Queen of Heaven.

Angel Gabriel - The Archangel Gabriel, depicted in motion with a scroll and lily, announces the Incarnation in a composition inspired by Gothic Annunciation imagery.

Austrian Folklore and Customs (V)

Traditional Austrian customs, designed by Auguste Böcskör, combined engraved by Maria Laurent and photogravure, and issued during 1998.

- Fiaker, Vienna - a traditional horse-drawn carriage with its driver, historically used as a taxi in Vienna and today preserved as a cultural and folkloric symbol of the city.
- The Palmesel procession of Thaur (Tyrol) - a Palm Sunday tradition reenacting Jesus' entry into Jerusalem with a figure of Christ on a donkey.
- Samson of the Lungau (Salzburg) - a giant procession figure symbolizing strength in local folk festivals.

Set of definitive stamps, contains four different designs, was issued for use in French Togo in 1941. Stamps were engraved in the Institute of Engraving.

Mono Bay, Togo, designed and engraved by George-Leo Degorce.

Hunters, designed and engraved by Albert Decaris.

Indigenous woman, designed and engraved by Pierre Gandon.

Women ponding grains.

I recently have purchased this postcard from the 1930-40's. It shows two women pounding millet in a tall wooden mortar in the Sahel. It was probably used as a model to design the stamp.

Women filling water jars at the Komoe Waterfalls, designed and engraved by Jules Piel and issued as definitive stamps for use in French West Africa, Ivory Coast in 1936.

Old postcard shows the original photo used as a model to Jules Piel to design the stamp.

Set of definitive stamps, contains six different designs, was issued for use in Cameroon in 1946. Stamps were engraved in the Institute of Engraving.

Zebu Cattle, designed and engraved by Gabriel-Antoine Barlangue.

Tikar Women, designed and engraved by Gabriel-Antoine Barlangue.

Banana Holders, designed and engraved by Albert Decaris.

Hunter, designed and engraved by Albert Decaris.

Lomido Rider, designed and engraved by Albert Decaris.

Cameroonian Native, designed and engraved by Georges Bétemps.